Electric arm and head movement



July 22, 1969 Filed June 2, 196 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F l G 1 I 44 +11 I 2aP I 48 I9 I 2 Li 6 I ALL E Y mm""wmmrag. :1 6

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INVENTOR S I ATTORNEYS July 22, 1969 GARDEL ET AL 3,456,383

ELECTRIC ARM AND HEAD MOVEMENT Filed June 2, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet B 5F|G.8 FIG-7 INVENTOR 5 WW n? WW/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent Othce3,456,383 Patented July 22, 1969 3,456 383 ELECTRIC ARM AND HEADMOVEMENT Robert Gardel, New York, and Egon Gorsky, Brooklyn, N.Y.,assignors to Lettam, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New YorkContinuation-impart of application Ser. No. 638,234, May 15, 1967. Thisapplication June 2, 1967, Ser. No. 643,218

Int. Cl. A63h 33/26 US. Cl. 46-247 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA motor operated head and arm moving mechanism for toy figures such asdolls designed to give the head a rotary rocking motion and to cause thearms to move alternately up and down, the mechanism being adapted forcombination, if desired, with leg moving means.

FIELD OF INVENTION This mechanism may be regarded as a modification ofthat diclosed in applicants continuation-in-part application Ser. No.638,234, filed May 15, 1967, for Baby Doll Walking Mechanism, in thatsubstantially the same motor and gear elements are used, with theaddition of elements connecting the head and/or arms to the powerassembly. Connections for moving the legs are omitted from the presentcase because they are fully set forth in the application just cited, butthe possibility of full mechamzation of the doll, with legs, arms andhead all moving, will be apparent. The fittings which connect each armto the mechanism are shown as being of the type covered by Gardel PatentNo. 3,098,318, July 23, 1963, and the head moving means resembles thatcovered by Gardel and Gorsky Patent No. 3,230,666, Jan. 25, 1966.

SUMMARY The mechanism comprises means designed for convenientinstallation in the torso of a doll or the like for coupling the headand/or arms to a source of motive power so that the head and/or arms canbe moved in a predetermined manner and synchronism; specifically, thehead is given a rotary rocking movement and the arms are movedalternately up and down in a motion which may be regarded as patting anobject or substance in front of the doll. The driving connections aresuch that either the head or the arms can easily be made independent ofthe power source, so that most of the parts of the mechanism can bestandardized and put together in various combinations depending on themovements desired in any particular line of dolls.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents a vertical front-to-back section of a doll torso andthe neck portion of the head, parts being shown in elevation and partsbeing broken away;

FIG. 2 represents a detail elevation from the line II-II of FIG. 1showing the form and position of the arm-moving rocker;

FIG. 3 represents a detail horizontal section on the line lII--III ofFIG. 1 showing the connection between one arm and the torso and thearm-moving rocker;

FIG. 4 represents a detail vertical sectional view of one of thecouplings;

FIG. 5 represents a horizontal section on the line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 represents a detail vertical sectional view of another coupling;

FIG. 7 represents a horizontal section on the line V-II -VII of FIG. 6,and

FIG. 8 is a wiring diagram.

Referring to the drawings, the doll torso 1 is provided with circulararm openings lying in substantially vertical or only slightly inclined(30 or less) planes, each arm 2 being formed with an annular groove 3around its upper end and being snapped into its respective arm opening,as shown in FIG. 3, the arms being thus journaled for rotation in agenerally forward and back or up and down direction. The upper end ofeach arm is open and provided with an annular flange 4 adapted to begripped perpherally by inner and outer plates 5, 6, a disc 7 having anintegral forwardly projecting lever 8 being pressed firmly against theplate 6 by a spring 9, all as clearly set forth in Gardel Patent No.3,098,318, cited above.

The head and arm operating mechanism includes a gear train 10 betweenupper and lower horizontal plates 11, 12, and a motor M in a generallyU-shaped bracket 13 attached to the upper plate 11. The bracket 13 isafiixed, as by bolts or screws 14, to the inner wall 15 of the batterybox 16, a layer of resilient material 17 being preferably interposedbetween the bracket 13 and wall 15 so that vibrations from the movingparts will not be transmitted to the doll torso. The battery box 16(containing, for example, two battery cells B of a suitable size) isfirmly secured in an opening in the back of the doll torso 1 and isprovided with a removable cover 18 for inspection or replacement of thebatteries. The wiring between the batteries and motor is conventionaland is shown in the Wiring diagram FIG. 8. The circuit is shown asincluding a manually operated switch 19, conveniently operated by abutton or lever on the back of the doll torso on or adjacent to thebattery box, and the circuit may optionally include, in series with theswitch 19, a gravity switch or magnetic switch 20, the location andpurpose of which is described below.

One of the intermediate gears 21 has its hub formed to' permit passageof the vertical drive shaft 22 which is journaled in openings in theplates 11 and 12, extending to a point below the plate 12 and passingthrough an opening 23 in the motor bracket 13. The lower end of theshaft 22 has fixed thereto a cam follower 24 in the form of ahorizontally disposed lever having an elongated slot 25, and the shaft26 of the last gear in the train has its lower end formed as a crank 27which is engaged in said slot.

At a point above the gear train, the upper end of the shaft 22 isengaged in a coupling 28 which connects the shaft operatively with adrive shaft extension 29, said extension passing through an opening 30in a bracket 31 mounted on the upper part of the battery box. Thebracket 31 has an upper horizontal portion 32 a short distance below theneck opening of the torso 1 and provided with a slot 33 extending in afront to back direction. The bracket 31 also has a short downwardextension 34 in front of the drive shaft extension 29 and the arm movingrocker 35 is pivoted thereto by the rivet 36.

The upper end of the drive shaft extension 29 is operatively engaged ina second coupling 37 similar to the coupling 28 but radially boredpartway through at its middle to permit insertion of a stub shaft 38having a head 39. Said stub shaft extends forwardly from the couplinginto engagement with a hole 40 in the rocker 35 above its pivot point.The rocker 35 is also provided in each of its lateral extensions, withhorizontal slots 41, each adapted to receive one of the levers 8 foroperating the arms.

A head moving shaft 42, the lower end of which is engaged in thecoupling 37, extends upward from said coupling and through a plug 43 inthe neck portion of the head, the upper extension 44 of said shaft beingjournaled in the neck plug 43 and offset from the axis of the lowerportion of shaft 42 so that rotation of said shaft will give the head arotary rocking motion. Actual rotation of the head is prevented by theengagement of the pin 45 (fixed in the plug 43) in the slot 33, theparts last described being functionally similar to corresponding partsin the mechanism of Patent No. 3,230,666, cited above.

The shaft couplings 28 and 37 are provided for convenience in assemblyand installation of the mechanism, being simple, reliable and adaptable.Each comprises basically a cylindrical body axially bored to a diameterapproximating that of the shafts to be coupled and radially slotted (asat 46) to receive the flattened ends (such as 47) of the shafts. Axialmovement of each shaft relative to its couplings or other supports maybe prevented in a customary manner by staking small lugs or projectionswherever needed, as indicated at 48 in several places, with or withoutthe provision of washers.

When the motor is operated, its power is transmitted through the geartrain to the crank 27 which reciprocates the follower 24 in a small arcand thus turns the drive shaft 22 and its upper extensions 29 and 42 inoscillations of the same extent. The forwardly extending end of the stubshaft 38, engaging the rocker 35, causes rocking movement thereof andthe engagement of levers 8 in slots 41 translates the rocking movementinto alternate up and down movement of the arms. The head moving shaft42, acting through its offset extension 44, gives the head a slightrotary rocking movement without actually rotating it.

The actions just described can be combined, in a manner readilyunderstood, with the walking movements achieved by the mechanism ofcopending application Ser. No. 638,234, filed May 15, 1967 (citedabove), but a particularly interesting and appealing effect is obtainedby controlling the circuit in part by a magnetic switch (which may be ofthe type disclosed in applicants copending application Ser. No. 633,266,filed Apr. 24, 1967), mounted in the back or lower part of the torso 1.With such a switch in the back of the torso, the doll may be laid on itsback on a support containing a metal plate (e.g., iron) so that theswitch will close the circuit and cause the dolls head and arms to moveas described above, in close simulation of a baby in the same position.When the magnetic switch is mounted in the lower part or seat of thetorso, the doll may be placed in a high chair (having a metal plate inthe seat) with the hands in a position to pat the tray, or in asimulated bathtub (with or without water but, again, provided with ametal plate) where the hands will pat the water, if any, in a mostrealistic simulation of a baby enjoying its bath.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the form,construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention and hence we do not intend to belimited to the details shown or described herein except as the same areincluded in the claims or may be required by disclosures of the priorart.

What we claim is:

1. A doll part moving mechanism for installation in a doll torso havingarms articulated thereto, said mechanism including a motor and gears, anarm moving lever operatively connected to each arm, a rocker engagingboth said levers, a drive shaft, means connecting said shaft to saidrocker, an eccentric element connected to one of the gears, and afollower fixed to the drive shaft and operatively engaged with saideccentric element.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1 in which the motor is electric, andwhich includes a battery box and supports for-said motor, gears, rockerand drive shaft, said supports being mounted on said battery box andsaid box being affixed to the doll torso.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1 in which the eccentric element is acrank on a gear shaft below the gear train and the means connecting thedrive shaft to the rocker is an element projecting from the drive shaftabove the gear train and motor.

4. A mechanism'according to claim 1 in which a head is articulated tothe torso and which includes means connecting said motor to said headfor causing the head to move when the motor is operated.

'5. A mechanism according to claim 1 in which a head is articulated tothe torso and which includes a neck plug in the head, a drive shaftextension journaled in said plug and angularly offset from the axis ofthe drive shaft and means preventing rotation of the head.

6. A mechanism according to claim 1 in which the arm moving leversextend forwardly from the arms, the rocker is pivotally mounted forreciprocating movement in a substantially vertical plane and is providedwith openings to receive said levers and the drive shaft extendsvertically from a point below the gear train to a point at least as highas the rocker.

7. A mechanism according to claim 6 in which one of the gears is formedwith an axially bored hub and the drive shaft is journaled in said bore.

8. A doll part moving mechanism installed in a doll torso having armsarticulated thereto, said mechanism including an electric motor, meansconnecting said motor to said arms for causing the arms to move when themotor is operated, and a motor circuit which includes a magnetic switchenclosed within the doll torso, said switch being adapted to close thecircuit when the switch is placed sufiiciently close to a suitablemetallic body.

9. A mechanism according to claim 8 in which the switch is installed inthe back portion of the torso in a position to be closed when the dollsback is placed close to a suitable metallic body.

10. A mechanism according to claim 8 in which the switch is installed inthe seat portion of the torso in a position to be closed when the dollis seated close to a suitable metallic body.

11. A mechanism according to claim 10 in which the arm moving means isadapted to move the arms up and down in a patting motion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,505,626 4/1950 Palmer 46-2362,859,554 11/1958 Walss 46120 2,927,467 3/1960 Sala 46118 X 3,353,29611/1967 Ryan et al. 46247 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner H. DINITZ,Assistant Examiner

